Projectile-accelerating mechanism for firearms



Aug. 11, 1953 E. N. STANLEY PROJECTILE-ACCELERATING MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 2l, 1951 INVENTOR EVEEETT N. STANLEY,

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 11, 1953 PROJ ECTILE -ACCELERATIN G MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 9 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of firearms. More particularly, the invention has reference to means adapted to be incorporated in a weapon of conventional design, and operative to increase the speed and range of a projectile discharged from said weapon.

Eiorts have heretofore been made to increase the velocity of a bullet, and most of these eiorts have been directed to the addition of powder to the original charge contained in the cartridge case. However, it is well appreciated among those skilled in the art that in direct proportion to any increases in the original powder charge, there is a dangerous increase in internal pressures occurring Within the rearm on discharge of the projectile. Pressures mount rapidly, and in some instances are critical to one-half of one grain in weight. This is due to the fact that the bullet is a dead weight when the cartridge is red, the pressure peak being reached before the bullet travels one inch along the barrel of a conventional rifle.

Since the pressure peak is reached within one inch of the starting point of the projectile, it is obvious that the pressure will decrease rapidly as the bullet continues down the barrel, the pressure decreasing progressively as the space behind the bullet increases with the forward travel thereof. For example, after the bullet has traveled slightly more than the length of the cartridge, the pressure peak will in most cases have fallen to less than half its maximum.

In view of the above, I propose, in carrying out the main object of the present invention, to provide a supplementary powder charge spaced from the starting point of the projectile a di."- tance slightly more than the length of the cartridge, so as to exert a surge of pressure against the moving bullet, after the conventionally sized, saie charge has overcome the initial inertia of said bullet, and has started the bullet along the barrel.

A further important object is to provide for automatic replenishment of the supplementary charge, responsive to the ring of each projectile.

Another important object is to provide a construction, in a mechanism of the type referred to, wherein the gases released by explosion of the conventional charge contained in the cartridge will act within said mechanism in such a manner as to be eiiective not only for exploding the supplementary charge, but also for effecting the automatic replenishment of the supplementary charge, ready for the ring of the next projectile- A further important object is to provide safety means associated with the automatic chargereplenishing means in such a manner as to effect, automatically, the discharge of gases leaking past the second-named means, to atmosphere.

A still further object is to provide for adjustment of the supplementary powder charge as to the quantity thereof.

Another important object is to provide a powder magazine adapted to hold a quantity of powder for replenishment of the supplementary projectile-accelerating charge, in which the natural recoil of the rearm will be additive to a spring means contained within the magazine, so as to continuously maintain the powder in the r magazine in proper position for movement of a predetermined portion of said powder into the supplementary charge chamber.

I am aware that it is not broadly new, in rirearm construction, to provide a supplementary 7powder charge, positioned in advance of the initial position of the projectile, that is ignited by the gases released by explosion of the original powder charge, to add velocity to the projectile as it moves out of the barrel. However, to my knowledge, no mechanism previously developed along this line has included a means for automatically replenishing the supplementary powder charge. All such devices of which I have knowledge have been adapted for use with singleshot weapons only, and have required manual replenishment of the supplementary charge, in a time-consuming operation, each time the firearm is to be discharged. The present invention, however, is adapted ior use not only with singleshot weapons, but also with automatic or semiautomatic weapons, replenishment being necessary only upon exhaustion oi the magazine. which magazine is so designed as to be of any size desired.

Other objects will appear from the 'following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a rearm, in which portions of said rearm are broken away, and through a projectile-accelerating mechanism formed in accordance with the present invention, and operatively associated with said rearm;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of said firearm and mechanism, in which portions of the rearm are broken away;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view 3 through the mechanism constituting the present invention, taken substantially on line l-Il of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through said mechanism, taken substantially on line 5-5 f Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, by way of example the device constituting the present invention has been illustrated in association with a riile generally designated 6, said rifle being of generally conventional construction. However, it is believed important 'to note at thisfpoint that the device is capable of application to rifles of any caliber, from the smallest up to and including the largest artillery and naval rifles and may be readily applied also, to guns other than riiles. Accordingly, except as necessarily restricted by the scope of the appended claims, the term gun as used hereinafter is intended to apply generically to all types of weapons in which a projectile is discharged from a barrel by explosion oa powder charge.

The gun E illustrated in the drawings includes a barrel 8, at one end or which is provided a breech mechanism i@ including a firing pin i2 adapted to detonate a powder charge contained within the cartridge ill, that includes a projectile i6. The powder charge contained within the cartridge ii will be hereafter termed the original charge, to distinguish it readily from the supplementary charge to be described herein.

The barrel )8 is Vprovided with the usual longitudinal bore i8, through which the projectile i6 moves upon detonation of the original charge.

ln accordance with the present invention, I apply to the barrel 8, slightly in advance of the initial position of the projectile l5, a clamp 2i! (Figure 2) of inverted U-shaped formation, having depending, parallel, threaded E2 that extend through smooth walled openings nl vformed in opposite ends of a clamp plate 25, that is arranged transversely of and below the barrel 8. Nuts 28 are threaded upon the arms 22, for urging the clamp plate in the direction or the barrel.

rIjhe barrel 3 is` formed with a small-diameter outlet passage 3i disposed transversely of the barrel, said passage communicating at one end with the bore i8 of the barrel, and being formed lat its other end with a counterbore complementary to one end of an enlargement that is integrally or otherwise formed upon the inlet endvof a connecting tube 35 underlying and extending longitudinally of the barrel t, as readily noted from Figure l.

The clamp plate 2S has a center opening formed complementary to the other end of the enlargement 34 so that threading or" the nuts 28 against the clamp plate t6 is operative to connect the inlet end of the connecting tube 35 to th'e barrel 8, in communication with the outlet passage 38 of the barrel.

Adjacent its outlet end, the connecting tube 36 is formed with a lateral extension it provided with an enlargement l2 engaging in a complementarily formed recess in a blocl; generally designated ed. The block dit (see Figure is secured to the barrel so as to depend therefrom, the connection of the block to the barrel being obtained through the provision of a barrel-receiving opening l5 formed in the upper end of theA bloclr, adjacent one side thereof, a set screw Sil (Figure l) being threaded through the wall of said opening against the surface of the barrel.

To eiTect a rigid connection between the connecting tube and the block Lili, I provide a clamp plate it having an opening receiving the lateral extension l5 of the connecting tube, and having smooth walled end openings receiving screws 43, that are threadable into suitably located threaded recesses formed in the block 44.

Formed in the block lil and opening upwardly from the bottom surface of the block contiguous to that side thereof opposite the side receiving the barrel 8, is a counterbore 5i?. The counterbore 58 extends approximately half the length of the block M, and at its lower end is threaded to receive a plug 52. An inlet passage 5t of small diameter communicates at one end with the outlet end o the connecting tube Bil, and at its other end is in communication with the counterbore 5B immediately above the plug 52, said inlet passage being formedin and extending longitudinaily of the block` d'4.

A piston 56 is mounted in the counterbore 5?, to slide longitudinally therein and on one 'face thereof, is rormedwith a spacer lug 5l, that engages the plug 52 in the normal position of the piston 56 (see Figure li), so as to denne between the piston and plug an inlet chamber 5S into which gases formed by explosion or the original charge may pass.

A slide valve that is reduced in diameter relative to the diameter of the count-arbore and piston, is formed upon the opposite race of the piston, and is disposed longitudinally of the counterbore. The free end of the slide valve is retained continuously within apowder inlet pas'- sage Si) formed as a reduced-diameter axial extension o the counterborc. Thus, communication between the powder inlet passage and the counterbore is prevented at all 'times by the slide valve.

A spring 52 surrounds the slide valve, said spring abutting at one end against the shoulder defined at the inner end oi' the counterbore, and abutting at its other end st the piston 5B. The spring 52 is under continuous com-4 pression, so as to continuously and yieldably bias the piston 55 to the normal positcn ther-coi' illustrated in Figure fi. Y

Formed upon the slide valve 5S, adjacent the free end thereof, is an annular groove SF-s. When the piston 56 is forced upwardly within the counterbore 53, against the action of the spring t the groove ed will register with an upper reli'ei` passage E6 (Figures 3 and 5) formed in the block and communicating between the powder inlet passage i and the atmospher VIhen the piston is in its normal position, the groove tl registers with a second relief passage 5B, communicating between the counter-bore atmosphere. The relief passage or port 5t is for ezihausting to atmosphere any gas that may leak upwardly past the piston from the chamber 59, to prevent said gas from leaking into the powder magazine embodied in the invention, which will be described hereinafter. The port S8 is for the purpose of preventing leakage ci gases into the supplementary charge cylinder past the slide valve, which cylinder also will be described in detail hereinafter.

The powder magazine has been designated lll, and is formed as an elongated tubular member disposed longitudinally of and in parallelism with the barrel S. At one end, the magazine is externally threaded to receive a closure cap lf2, while at the other end the magazine is provided with a rotatable cap T4. The cap 'I4 is adapted to be partially rotated in opposite directions upon its associated end of the magazine 1U, and to this end, a screw 'l5 (Figures 3 and 4) is threaded through the iiange of the cap '14, and extends into a transverse slot I8 formed in the wall of the magazine l0, so as to limit rotatable movement of the cap lli in opposite directions.

Secured to the cap 'i4 and extending longitudinally of and within the magazine l), is a main valve Se. On rotation of the cap 1:3 to one position, designated ofi in Figure 3, the main valve 8G is positioned to close off communication between the magazine l and the powder inlet passage S0. On partial rotation of the cap 'lll to its opposite extreme position, designated on in Figure 3, the main valve is adjusted within the cylinder to open communication between the magazine and the powder inlet passage. In this way, the user of the mechanism is enabled to shut oft the mechanism entirely, whenever it is desired to discharge the weapon without the supplementary charge.

To secure the magazine 'l0 xedly to the block M, I provide a set screw 82 (Figure 5) threadable through registering openings formed in the block and magazine respectively.

Slidable within and longitudinally of the powder magazine l@ is a piston 84, which is urged continuously in the direction of the outlet passage i5@ by a coil spring 86 interposed between said piston and the cap l2.

As seen from Figure 5, a communicating bore 88 is formed in the block 45, .being disposed transversely of the block so as to communicate at one end with the passage 6i) and at its other end with a supplementary charge chamber 9B. The chamber Q8 is formed as an elongated bore opening from the bottom surface of the block 13, and extending in parallel relation to the counterbore 5o and the passage 5G, said chamber opening at its other end into a supplementary charge outlet passage 9d, that is formed in the barrel 8, extending obliquely into communication with the bore i8 of the barrel.

A threaded plug 92 engages internal threads formed in the lower end of the supplementary charge chamber 9B. The plug 92 may be threaded to any position within said chamber Sil, so as to regulate the size of the chamber, and hence the size of the supplementary charge.

To permit the drilling of the communicating bore 83, an opening S6 is extended inwardly from the exterior surface of the block 44, said opening being arranged in coaxial alignment with the communicating bore, and being internally threaded to receive a closure plug 98. *I

Considering now the operation of the mechanism, on explosion of the original charge, the projectile l 5 will move past the outlet passage 3U of the rifle barrel. As a result, the gases released by explosion of the original charge will pass through the connecting tube 36, into the chamber 59.

The pressure of the gases forced into the chamber 5S is operative to force the piston and slide valve upwardly from their normal positions,

so that the slide valve closes off communication between the powder inlet 4passage 60 and the communicating bore 88.

The projectile, meanwhile, will travel further along the bore IS of the barrel E, so as to pass over the passage 94. Gases released by explosion of the original charge will, accordingly, pass into said passage 94 and will ignite the powder charge contained within the supplementary chamber 90.

The ignited supplementary charge, as a result, will exert its force through the bore 94 against the rear of the projectile, before said projectile passes fully out of the barrel 8. In this way, the supplementary charge is effective to make up the loss of pressure referred to in the objects stated hereinabove, which loss of pressure increases as the distance between the projectile and the initial position of the cartridge increases.

As the projectile passes out of the barrel, all gas pressures within the barrel, supplementary charge chamber 90, and gas inlet chamber 59, are relieved immediately. As a result, spring 62, tending to expand, biases the piston 56 towards normal position, opening communication automatically between the magazine lll, powder inlet passage B0, communicating bore 88, and supplementary charge chamber 99, as a result of which a new supplementary powder charge is forced into the supplementary charge chamber 9i).

In this way, the supplementary charge is replenished automatically, so that on the next clischarge of the weapon, acceleration of the projectile will obtain once again. This action will continue as long as there is a supply of powder within the magazine 70.

It may be noted that the forcing of the supplementary charge into the chamber is obtained by the tendency of the spring 86 to expand, which continuously exerts pressure against the piston 84 in the direction of the powder inlet passage S0. In this connection, the natural recoil of the gun will be additive to the pressure of the spring 86 to assure emcient operation of the charge-replenishing means.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily conned to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to .be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said prin-s ciples, it being considered that the invention com.

prehends any minor changes in construction that;

may be permitted within the scope of the ap. pended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun bar` rel, a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material and communicating with the barrel for ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; a magazine containing a supply of said material and normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; means on the magazine adapted to force said material into said chamber whenever the chamber and magazine are in communication; and a valve arranged for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and magazine.

2. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun barrel having longitudinally spaced passages opening upon the bore thereof, a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material and communicating continuously with one of said passages for ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; amagazine containing a supply ofY said material and normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; means on the magazine adapted to force said materialA into saidl chamber whenever the chamber and magazine are in communication; a valve arranged for'actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and magazine; and means extending between the other passage of the barrel and said valve and adapted for transmitting to the valvev gas pressures resulting from detonation of the original charge, for actuation of the valve to said position.

3. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns, comprising, in combination with a gun barrel having a pair of passages opening u-pon the bore thereof and spaced different distances from the breech end of the barrel, a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material and communicating continuously with that passage remote from the breech end of the barrel for ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; a magazine containing a supply of said material and normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; means on the-magazine adapted to force saidmaterial into said chamber whenever the chamber and magazine arel in communication; a Valve arranged for actuation by the detonated o diginal charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and the magazine; and means extending between the passage nearer the breech end of the barrel and said valve adapted for transmitting to the valve gas pressures resul-ting from detonation of the origin-al charge, for actuation of' the-valve-to said position.

fi. A pro-,icatho-accelerating mechanism ior guns comprising, in combination with a gun barrel having a pair of passages opening' upon the bore thereof' and spaced differenty distances from the breech oi the barrel, a supplementary charge chan zer adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of' an explosive material communicating continuously with that passage remo-te` from thel breech end of 'the barrelior ignition of said material by an original esplosi-ve charge detonated within the barrei;A a tubular magazine containing a supply of said material and normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; a spring-biased piston in the magazine adaptedl to exert pressure lon., tudinally oi the magazine to force said material into said chamber whenever the chamber and magazine are in communication; a valve arranged for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and magazine; and means extending between that passage nearer the breech end of the barrel and said valve and adapted for transmitting to the valve gas pressures resulting from detonation. o the origi al charge, for actuation o the valve to said position.

5. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns, comprising, in combination withagun barrel having a pair of passages opening upon the bore thereof' and spaced diiierent distances from the `breech end ci' the barrel, a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity'of un explosive materiali and communicating continuously with' that passage remote from th'ebreech end of the barrel for/ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; a tubular magazine extending longitudinally of the barrel and adapted to contain a supply of said material, said magazine normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; a piston slidable in the magazine; a spring within the magazine and exerting pressure against the piston in the direction of the muzzle end oi the barrel, for coaction with gun recoil pressures to force material into said chamber whenever the chamber and magazine are in communication; a valve arranged for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge charnber and magazine; and means extending between that passage nearer the breech end of the bar'- rel and said valve and adapted for transmitting to the valve gas pressures resulting from detonation of the Ioriginal charge, for actuation of the valve to said position.

6. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun barrel having a pair of passages opening upon the bore thereof and spaced different distances from the breech end of the barrel, a block having a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material, said chamber communicating continuously with that passage remote from the breech end of the barrel ior ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated Within the barrel; a tubular magazine mounted onv the block to extend longitudinally of the barrel and adapted to contain a supply of said material, said magazine normally communicating with the suppiementary charge chamber; a piston slidable in the magazine; a spring within the magazine and exerting pressure against the piston in the direction of the muzzle end of the barrel for coaction with gun recoil pressures to force material into said chamber whenever the chamber'. and magazine are in communication; a Valve mounted in the block and arranged' for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and the magazine; and means extendingV between that passage nearer the breech end of the barrel and said block and adaptedv for transmitting to the valve gasv pressures resulting from deton-ationofv the original charge, for actuation of the valve to said position.

7. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun barirel having a pair of passages opening upon the bore thereof and spaced. different distances from the breech end of the barrel, a block having a supplementary chargev chamber adapted to contain apredetermined quantity off an explosive material, said chamber communicating continuouslyl with that passage remote from the breech end of the barrel for ignition of said materialby an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; a magazine carried by the blockand normally communicating with the supplementary chargecha-mber; means in the magazine adapted to exert a continuous yielding pressure upon the material contained therein tending to force said rmaterial into the supplementary charge chamber; a valvel mounted in the block and arranged for actuation by the detonated originalcharge toa position in which it closes: communication between the supplementary charge chamber and magazine; andy means extending between that passage nearer the breech end of the barrel and said block and adapted for transmitting to the valve gas pressures resulting from detonation of the original charge, for actuation of the valve to said position.

8. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun barrel having a pair of passages opening upon the bore thereof and spaced different distances from the breech end of the barrel, la block connected to said barrel and having a gas inlet chamber, the block having a. supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material and communicating continuously with that passage remote from the breech end of the barrel for ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel; a magazine carried by the block and normally communicating with the supplementary charge chamber; means in the magazine adapted to exert a continuous yielding pressure upon the material contained therein tending to force said material into the supplementary charge chamber; a valve slidable in the block at one end of the gas inlet chamber and arranged for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge chamber and magazine; and means extending between that passage nearer the breech end of the barrel and the gas inlet chamber and adapted for transmitting to the gas inlet chamber gases resulting from detonation of the original charge for actuation of the valve to said position.

9. A projectile-accelerating mechanism for guns comprising, in combination with a gun b-arrel having a pair of passages opening upon the bore thereof and spaced different distances from the breech end of the barrel, a block connected to said barrel and having -a gas inlet chamber,

the block having a supplementary charge chamber adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of an explosive material and communicating continuously with that passage remote from the breech end of the barrel, for ignition of said material by an original explosive charge detonated within the barrel, the block having a supplementary charge inlet passage formed as an extension of the gas inlet chamber and a bore communicating between the supplementary charge chamber and said supplementary charge inlet passage, a mag-azine carried by the block in communication with the supplementary charge inlet passage; means in the magazine adapted to exert a continuous yielding pressure upon the material contained therein tending to force said material into the supplementary charge chamber through the supplementary charge inlet passage and said communicating bore; a valve slidable in the supplementary charge inlet passage at one end of the gas inlet chamber and arranged for actuation by the detonated original charge to a position in which it closes communication between the supplementary charge inlet passage and said communicating bore, and means extending between that passage of the barrel nearer the breech end thereof and the gas inlet chamber and adapted for transmitting to the gas inlet chamber gases resulting from detonation of the original charge, for actuation of the valve to said position.

EVERETT N. STANLEY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 26,646 Boynton Jan. 3, 1860 2,397,800 McArthur Apr. 2, 1946 

